THE YEAR ON THE LAND

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 56, 30 November 1918, Page 10

THE YEAR ON THE LAND

i? DROUGHT AND FIRES. r-;H PROGRESS OF SETTLEMENT f ■ ■ ' ■ ' . - : ■ .' . >-.'-.-In : tlie' Lands report presented to the of Kepresentatives appears the foli lowing report on the Wellington district l : by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. It •Telioulcl bS noted that the report applies !"td last year.... , • p" Owing'.to the high rates ruling for '-labour and materials "fanners"have not '"been able to effect any extensive im- ?- p'rovements during the year, but to com ; *■ pensate high' prices were obtained for rail-classes of produce. Tho summer heat i 'was exceptional, resulting in pastures ("drying up and water becoming scarce, "appreciably diminishing the dairy re- ■ turns in some districts. Craps were hari vested , under good climatic conditions, ; and very remunerative prices were 'obtain- ; ed. The average prices for stock v-c-ro as ! follow:—Lambs, from 12s. Gd.,iss., ISs. up -to 255. for prime; ewes,.average for good [quality', 30a.; weaner cattle, £3 to £5 i'.'per head; store cattle, £6 to .Cl 4, ac 7 to quality; dairy heifers, .£10; I dairy cows, £V 2 to .CIS; fat cattle, ,£l6 r.:to £20.

C Some bridle-tracks only formed are still i.to be found in bush districts, and these !,are in places out of renair, but -otherwise !'roads' are in good, order.

j.:. A- , destructive storm swept over the isclan'd'iii'llarftli,' and in the bush districts ; around Eaetihi, Horopito, and Ohakune; !?extensiye fires broke out, causing great ; damage to property, stock, grass, and. I '.regret, to say,- to life as well—a settler j.aiid his wife and child perishing in the I'flames. Several sawmills were destroyed,

."ij'-large number of dwellings were demoltished, and thousands of acres v/ere. so l.swept by the fires as to require resow- ' ing. Substantial •issistance was rendered :,to fhe-Vettlprs by the Government- and i.piivate individuals, which will materially ihelp in rpgr."=<an£'. rpbuildi"<t. and s)"plciing farms ntfeotod by the disnste'r. The J?-p= nlsD..ei.-ont the ,nf ITnDer r'Waitoi-'.'-a, AV(iinnkura.Arcu'"o''-iki. Tmn. ;Tiira, ITpppr AVangaehu, Field's Track, I rfnd.-thereabouts. s A ven d"'ell'"?s bpin? '.destroyed., Alrhough th° immediate loss i:to: the settlers in =toc!c.' ffneins , ., and iO.ther. i.mprovem»nh snvcro, it is now uPsnernily admitted thft in most' in-L's'-irices'tli? fire has had a beneficinl 'in cleaning up a large area of (lard which vmnld otherwise. hnve inivolvpd a considerable pxppnd'tnre of i liionpy and time to arrive at the same vr.psiilts;

!:It is' <hi)t 170 fWn tonaits i.p.re servi"T with 1 ExnediHonary I Forces.--' The »">« notified ope" for »"- iplicatioh wfis 4730 aeres. cf which 'W* for t, " f Hemen| bv disoh'irwH [soldiers.' In addition an «>rea of .23.048. was dealt with under the JHsfcharged Soldiers' Settlement' Act. J The, isrea. TemaimniT ooen for annlication at Lthp close of the. year ■ was' 9SS acres for lio'dinnrv selection and 25,755' acres for soldiers. ' ' ;.' . '

;."'Thn I.and Board held twelve ordinary, iweotiwr* and *ave consen: to 2- l B trans--ifers. It hel' , one nip"tine. ird jm-i'le-.visits of inspection .t" tV i '.'Soulier sef+lpnipnts in the land district. J; , In. th» Nor'h ATaimarino. iniD'rbyed 'farm settlement there rfow remains* ten "p°rtlers who have not yet fi'ken iip "licenses under the Land Act, 19DS. . . '

~ Although the number of tenants in ar;Tear with rents is forty-three,lpss ttyjn. rlast year, thp o»"iunt owiii" is J31G44 jmore.' of which -£1534 is navable Xtwo ■rtpnants who liavc been «erviiiß-with the 'Exnet'i.tionnry I'nre«. Arrangements "re [now beinT m.irle io-» T»\vnip->r <>f t'v» [■(niiniint, ?"d ;\ct'on is Mn? tato'n to' still nnlure the total amount pve r rln».

:-' The -education r»=p.rve nndo«-""Hs "'-'p. I found upon inspection to be worked satisfactorily. Lena's, numbering seventeen jexnired durine the *-ear. and the lessons rwerp erantcd renewals, the a<"res>ite rpn'fnl being increased from ,£lOl to <,£437 !per annum. ' . b'JThe estates nenuired during the vear scomorise the following:—Cherrv Grove l(Hiree> allotments—s79 acres): Putorino ■ (fifteen allotments—922 ■ acres and, 30 I perches); Kopane. (fourteen allotments— ■ 4-72 acres and 39 nerches); Pukenamu : (three - allotments-221 acres 2 roods R1 ;perches; AVaihora (three allotments—i' 7 acres 2 rriods). Thev have nil .been allotted under the Discharged Soldiers' Setli.lement Aft..the three last-named bavins Iheen acquired and allotted only towards i the close, of the financial- year, but the ijettlers have already commenced to oc-' ;cupy. stock, and improve their farms. In the Putorino Settlement,-which ,was jdisposed of just at the commencement of i-the dairying season now drawing: to a .'.close, it was necessary, owing to shortage of water on some holdings, to establish a temporary pumping plant. All the ■remaining sections in the Pairfield and ■Makowai Settlements were selected, and i three sections remain vacant in the iTiranmea Settlement, applications for ;which are now being considered.

i It is anticipated that the street formation ; in the Hall-Tones Settlement necessary to • conform to tho requirements of the Lower : Hutfc Borough by-laws will behir.dortaken ! during the comin? vear. also that drainlaee works in the Waddinjrton Settlement •will be completed and thus render a number of small areas suitable for raarjket zarderine and occunntion by nnrjtially idisabled men available for selection! ~ i ,-An area, of s'fl acres on which thp milijtaryi camp at Tauherenikau is sitiint n d jwas-'nl.eo acquired, and has been, let to ithe Defence Department for' the duration of the war. ! . .Tlw settlements established in Wmpr fyears • continue in a very s»ri4ac'tcry ('condition. Many of the o»fH*rs nre [rjiiroliasin? the freehold of their farms, [which mnv be taken ni a good indication of their prosperity.